Latest update December 19th, 2024 3:22 AM

Guyana's largest selling daily and New York's most popular weekly

Latest News

Justice Bernard’s decisions and speeches will be publicized

Sep 24, 2013 Letters

 

DEAR EDITOR,
International presentations, speeches and important court decisions made by outgoing Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) Judge Desiree Bernard, will be soon made available for the general public. This was disclosed to me by the Guyana-born jurist in an exclusive interview from her Port of Spain home. She indicated to me that she is now in the process of compiling her work for the past 49 years since she became a legal practitioner and started to make presentations to organizations and groups.
Justice Bernard has a very distinguished legal career and had many firsts — the first female judge in Guyana, first female appellate court judge, first female Chief Justice and Chancellor and first female head of the judiciary in the region as well as the first and so far only female to sit on the highest court of the land (CCJ).
She also held memberships in various regional and international organisations, having been the founding secretary of the Caribbean Women’s Association (CARIWA), first President of the Organization of Commonwealth Bar Association (OCCBA), member and Chair of the Caribbean Steering Committee for Women’s Affairs. Internationally, she served as  both rapporteur and Chair of the United Nations on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women  (CEDAW), the International Association of Women Judges  and as Vice President of the International Federation of Women lawyers.
“Never in my wildest dream did I see that I would be a judge in the highest court of the land,” Justice Bernard indicated and said that her work as a trial judge, appellate court judge, chief justice, chancellor and a CCJ judge, has been very interesting. “Each aspect is different and telling and I enjoyed all.”
She said that the most difficult was when she served as Chief Justice because of the volume of work, not only as a sitting judge but in administration, to supervise magistrates, judges, as well as prepare schedules. She added that “my job as a judge of the CCJ is very rewarding — we dealt with varying cases. It was rewarding intellectually since there were some interesting cases; some were brain teasers. She pointed out that since the CCJ is the final court, the judges had to be extremely thorough in their research in compiling their decisions/opinions.
“The CCJ is playing an important role in carving Caribbean jurisprudence.”
She pointed out that although only three countries, Guyana, Barbados and Belize, have abolished appeals to the Privy Council and accepted the CCJ as the final court, the judges are still very busy because they determine cases in their original jurisdiction. She is optimistic that other countries will soon come on board and join the CCJ in its appellate jurisdiction.
The bespectacled jurist is a strong advocate against violence involving women and penned several papers on gender and legal issues such as “The Domestic Application of International Human Rights Norms as it affects Women, “Judicial Activism in promoting the Human Rights of Women and  Confronting Gender-Based Violence in the Caribbean”.
On her retirement from the CCJ, on March 2, Justice Bernard will take up an appointment as a member of the Inter American Development Bank (IDB) as a member of the Tribunal.
Oscar Ramjeet

 

 

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | December, 2nd, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

 

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Thomas’ hat-trick inspires D.C Caesar Fox 10-5 victory, as Annai Sec’ hammer Dolphin

Thomas’ hat-trick inspires D.C Caesar Fox 10-5 victory, as Annai...

Dec 19, 2024

Fifth Annual KFC Goodwill Int’l Football Series Kaieteur Sports-The 2024 KFC Under-18 International Goodwill Football Series, which is coordinated by the Petra Organisation, continued yesterday at...
Read More
Stabroek Ballers, Sparta Boss, Bent Street ‘B’, North East & Unstoppable advance

Stabroek Ballers, Sparta Boss, Bent Street...

Dec 19, 2024

West Indies Falter in Disheartening Series Loss to Bangladesh

West Indies Falter in Disheartening Series Loss...

Dec 19, 2024

Trophy Stall hands over trophies for Kennard Memorial Turf Club Boxing Day Horse Race meet

Trophy Stall hands over trophies for Kennard...

Dec 19, 2024

Omari Glasgow, carrying the hopes and dreams of a Nation to the MLS

Omari Glasgow, carrying the hopes and dreams of a...

Dec 19, 2024

GCF eyeing growth across other regions in 2025 following successful Inter-Schools tournament 

GCF eyeing growth across other regions in 2025...

Dec 19, 2024

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.

Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]